Test Them

25Feb

“Dear friends, do not believe everyone who claims to speak by the Spirit. You must test them to see if the spirit they have comes from God. For there are many false prophets in the world.” John, Jesus’s best friend in that day, said this 2000 years ago and it’s still true today.

Around this same time, Mark, a contemporary of John, records Jesus as saying, “Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock.”

A couple of years ago Jay and I were hiking around Mt. Baker up in the Cascade mountains on the Canadian/Washington border. On a hike up to a glacier we crossed something like 12 streams at the foot of waterfalls. Some were quite wide, requiring a good deal of rock hopping. One was particular harrowing. Though I have long legs and carry hiking poles, the hop seemed nearly impossible and, the rock I was to land on, untested. I was, understandably, very anxious.

Jay, who has longer legs (and better poles ;-) went first. The rock held firm under his weight. Though the water raged around each large rock and was a few feet deep, I could trust that if I leapt and landed I, too, would be safe.

And so I was. (Also, I prayed the whole time. :-)

A word to the wise: Test the rock in the middle of the stream before you ask it to hold your weight.

We’re different?

We Christians in America... Why don't we look like Christians in so many other countries? Why don't we look like the ones in the Bible? Why don't we look like Jesus? Why do we look so much like non-Christian Americans?

This blog explores and challenges the typical American Christian church culture and even the typical American Christian. Including me.